Design Standards & Guidelines
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If you have technical questions about a chapter, contact the chapter owner located at the bottom of each chapter page.
The Design Standards and Guidelines (DSG) include engineering requirements, details, specifications, policies, and procedures. The DSG help SPU Design Engineers, Project Managers, and Consultants perform engineering work for SPU.
Chapters are organized by SPU’s lines of business and subject matter categories.
The DSG is used for all new Capital Improvement Projects managed and delivered by SPU’s Project Management and Engineering Division, and can be referenced for other types of projects or programs.
Certain chapters or portions of chapters are not available to the general public for security reasons. If you need to see any of these, contact spu_dsg@seattle.gov.
DSG Request Form (doc)
Chapter 1 - SPU Design Process
- SPU Design Process - Complete chapter (pdf)
- 1A- Design Checklist (doc)
- 1B- Basis of Design Plan Sheet (pdf)
- 30% Design Package Deliverables (doc)
- 60% Design Package Deliverables (doc)
- 90% Design Package Deliverables (doc)
- Final Design Package Deliverables (doc)
- Technical QC Review Report (doc)
Chapter 2 - Design for Permitting & Environmental Review
- Design for Permitting & Environmental Review - Complete chapter (pdf)
- 2A- WDFW Regulatory Requirements for Culverts (pdf)
Chapter 3 - Design for Construction
- Design for Construction - Complete chapter (pdf)
- 3A- Sample Construction Stormwater and Erosion Control Plans (pdf)
- 3B- Sample Notes for Construction Stormwater and Erosion Control Plans (pdf)
- 3C- Sample Notes for Water Plans (pdf)
- 3D- Sample Notes about Water Services (pdf)
- 3E- Sample Notes for Drainage Plans about CBs and Inlets (pdf)
- 3F- Sample Notes for Sewer and Drainage Plans about Mainlines (pdf)
- 3G- Sample Notes about Side Sewers (pdf)
- 3H- Sample Notes for Pavement Plans, including Metro Coordination (pdf)
- 3I- Sample General Notes (pdf)
Chapter 4 - General Design Considerations
- General Design Considerations - Complete chapter (pdf)
- Vactor Truck Turning Radius (pdf)
Chapter 5 - Water Infrastructure
Chapter 6 - Cathodic Protection
- Cathodic Protection - Complete chapter (pdf)
- 6A- Cathodic Protection Specifications (pdf)
Chapter 7 - Drainage & Wastewater System Modeling
- Drainage & Wastewater System Modeling - Complete chapter (pdf)
- 7A- Modeling Plan & Reporting (pdf)
- 7B- Modeling QA/QC Checklist (xls)
- 7C- Data Flags (pdf)
- 7D- Data Reports (pdf)
- 7E- Technical Guidance Manual (pdf)
- 7F- Modeling Check In and Out Form (doc)
- 7G- ACU-SWMM Users Manual (pdf)
- 7H- Green Stormwater Infrastructure Modeling Methods (pdf)
Chapter 8 - Drainage & Wastewater Infrastructure
- Drainage & Wastewater Infrastructure - Complete chapter (pdf)
- 8A- Maintenance Hole Structural Calculations (xls)
- 8B- Useful Figures and Concepts (pdf)
- 8C- GSI Manual (pdf)
Chapter 9 - Electrical Design
- Electrical Design - Complete chapter (pdf)
- 9A- Standard Specifications for Electrical Design (pdf)
- 9B- Standard Drawings for Electrical Design (pdf)
- 9C- Design Calculations for Electrical Design (pdf)
- 9D- Electrical Design Checklist (pdf)
- 9E- Basis of Electrical Design Memo (pdf)
Chapter 10 - Instrumentation Control-Scada
- Instrumentation Control-Scada - Complete chapter (pdf)
- 10A- I&C Design Specifications Examples (pdf)
- 10B- Example Set of Standard SPU I&C Drawings and Details (pdf)
- 10C- Example Set of Standard SPU I&C Design Checklists (pdf)
- 10D- Drawings of Typical PLC Configurations and IO Modules Wiring Diagrams (pdf)
- 10E- Typical Installation Details for Instrumentation (pdf)
- 10F- Typical SCADA signals by facility type (pdf)
Chapter 11 - Pump Stations
- Pump Stations - Complete chapter (pdf)
- 11A- CSI Technical Specifications for Pump Stations (pdf)
- 11B1- Head Loss & Force Main Sizing Calculations (xls)
- 11B2- Pump Station Wet Well Sizing Calculations (xls)
- 11C- Example Cost Estimate for Pump Stations (xls)
- 11D- Equipment Data Sheet (xls)
- 11E- Operational Checklists (pdf)
Chapter 17 - Water Services
- Water Services - Complete chapter (pdf)
- 17A- Large Water Service Design Guideline Standards (pdf)
- 17B- Example Plans for Water Service (pdf)
- 17C- Draft 2inch and Smaller Plan Submittal (pdf)
- 17D- Octave Meters (pdf)
- 17E- Master Meter_Bottom Load Multi Jet (pdf)
Chapter 18 - Development Services
- Development Services - Complete chapter (pdf)
- 18A- Plan Review Checklist (pdf)
- 18B- Temporary Discharges (pdf)
- 18C- 2016 ROW Flow Chart (pdf)
- 18D- Roadway Project On-Site List Flow Chart (pdf)
- 18E- Stormwater Treatment Flow Chart (pdf)
- 18F- Trail & Sidewalk On-Site List Flow Chart (pdf)
- 18G- DWW Utility Protection Notes (pdf)
Disclaimer
Seattle Public Utilities (“SPU”) Design Standards and Guidelines (“Guidelines) are intended for internal SPU purposes only. While great effort has been made to ensure their accuracy and completeness, this information and the Guidelines should not be used or relied upon for any specific application without competent professional examination and verification of its accuracy, suitability and applicability by a competent licensed engineer, architect or other licensed professional. SPU makes these Guidelines available for the convenience of third-parties who seek to review or gain an independent understanding of the SPU Guidelines to utilize at their own risk. The procedures, methods and guidelines herein are meant as a guide only and SPU makes no representation or warranty with respect to any third-party use. Many of the guidelines herein contained are general in character and are not to be construed as replacing, modifying, or superseding any of the provisions of the specifications, plans or contract that a third-party user may have with SPU or any other department of The City of Seattle. The Guidelines themselves are subject to constant updates, and the user of these Guidelines should verify with SPU whether any guideline or portion thereof has been updated. To the extent that any third-party usage is based on a need to obtain approval by SPU for facilities or construction, the mere incorporation of the Guidelines into third-party plans or designs does not guarantee that the plans or designs will be approved by SPU. Nothing in these Guidelines is intended to relieve any consultant of its own professional duties and obligations of compliance with applicable laws, standards, industry practices and/or professional obligations. The City of Seattle bears no liability nor responsibility for any third-party use of these Guidelines and any user of the Guidelines assumes all liability arising from such use.